Published: Sunday, September 1, 2013 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, August 30, 2013 at 6:51 p.m.

Harper Wiener, 2, climbed into her mom's lap and squeezed a toy. “Giraffe,” she squealed as she hugged the toy giraffe tightly with a big smile on her face.

The toy was an organic rattle made by her mom, Jamie. In December of 2011, Jamie Wiener was laid off and instead of just waiting on the next job opportunity, she decided to invest her creativity into something that might earn some money.

“I was home with Harper,” the 31-year-old said. “I was just looking for different things to do.”

Her mother-in-law threw out the idea of making toys, and now the Flat Rock woman's rattles are in a contest for a Martha Stewart's American Made Audience Choice Award.

Wiener's first design was a simple stuffed animal. She tested it on Harper, then went back and added silky tags to it, and Harper liked it a little more. Finally, Wiener turned it into a rattle and Harper loved it. They named the stuffed giraffe “Hazel” and it stuck.

“It was definitely in need of a fine-tuning,” she said.

She named the toy line Harper & Hazel and it's sold at 14 locations in North and South Carolina and Florida. The toys are all organic. They're made with GOTS certified organic cotton, natural corn stuffing, organic thread and hand batiked ribbon.

Why organic? “Harper was putting everything in her mouth,” Wiener said. With the amount of recalled toys in recent years, she was looking for a “safer product.”

Each toy takes 45 minutes to make. Wiener completes 30 toys in a month on average and even though she now works full-time at the Children and Family Resource Center, she is still fulfilling orders at the stores that carry her toys.

Locally, they can be bought at The Wrinkled Egg in Flat Rock, Homestead Linens and Willow Road Market in Hendersonville and Nest Organics in Asheville.

“I would love to grow my business,” she said. “That would be a dream.”

That could start with the audience award from the Martha Stewart brand. People can vote for her toys at www.marthastewart.com/americanmade/nominee/80460. People can vote up to six times per day.

For more information about the toys, visit www.harperandhazel.com or at Harper & Hazel on Facebook.

<p>Harper Wiener, 2, climbed into her mom's lap and squeezed a toy. “Giraffe,” she squealed as she hugged the toy giraffe tightly with a big smile on her face. </p><p>The toy was an organic rattle made by her mom, Jamie. In December of 2011, Jamie Wiener was laid off and instead of just waiting on the next job opportunity, she decided to invest her creativity into something that might earn some money.</p><p>“I was home with Harper,” the 31-year-old said. “I was just looking for different things to do.”</p><p>Her mother-in-law threw out the idea of making toys, and now the Flat Rock woman's rattles are in a contest for a Martha Stewart's American Made Audience Choice Award.</p><p>Wiener's first design was a simple stuffed animal. She tested it on Harper, then went back and added silky tags to it, and Harper liked it a little more. Finally, Wiener turned it into a rattle and Harper loved it. They named the stuffed giraffe “Hazel” and it stuck.</p><p>“It was definitely in need of a fine-tuning,” she said.</p><p>She named the toy line Harper & Hazel and it's sold at 14 locations in North and South Carolina and Florida. The toys are all organic. They're made with GOTS certified organic cotton, natural corn stuffing, organic thread and hand batiked ribbon.</p><p>Why organic? “Harper was putting everything in her mouth,” Wiener said. With the amount of recalled toys in recent years, she was looking for a “safer product.”</p><p>Each toy takes 45 minutes to make. Wiener completes 30 toys in a month on average and even though she now works full-time at the Children and Family Resource Center, she is still fulfilling orders at the stores that carry her toys. </p><p>Locally, they can be bought at The Wrinkled Egg in Flat Rock, Homestead Linens and Willow Road Market in Hendersonville and Nest Organics in Asheville. </p><p>“I would love to grow my business,” she said. “That would be a dream.”</p><p>That could start with the audience award from the Martha Stewart brand. People can vote for her toys at www.marthastewart.com/americanmade/nominee/80460. People can vote up to six times per day.</p><p>For more information about the toys, visit www.harperandhazel.com or at Harper & Hazel on Facebook.</p><p>Reach Millwood at 828-694-7881 or at joey.millwood@blueridgenow.com.</p>